Adam Frank is passionate about making science accessible to the general public, writing and speaking about subjects from robots and climate change to high-energy-density physics.
Frank, a professor of physics and astronomy at the 人妻少妇专区, is a regular commentator on . He also recently authored pieces for the about reframing the climate change story and for about how artificial intelligence will make us less human and 鈥渆xcruciatingly boring.鈥� A self-described 鈥渆vangelist of science,鈥� Frank has been awarded several prestigious honors for his efforts to communicate about science.
Frank was selected to receive the American Physical Society鈥檚 2020听听for his 鈥渕ulti-channel promotion of public understanding of physics, of science in general, and of the relationship between science and society, using methods and venues that effectively engage and provoke discussion among policy makers, scientists, and the public regarding important issues.鈥�
Frank鈥檚 most recent book, (W.W. Norton, 2018), which NPR deemed 鈥渁 valuable perspective on the most important problem of our time,鈥� received starred reviews from both Booklist and Kirkus Reviews and was awarded the . The award is bestowed annually to scholarly books published in the United States and 鈥渞ecognizes superior books by scientists written to illuminate aspects of science for a broad readership.鈥�
Frank argues that human civilization can survive climate change by learning from the experiences of other, extraterrestrial civilizations. The earth is just one of an estimated 10 billion trillion habitable planets in the universe. Unless the laws of the universe are deeply biased against life and intelligence, it鈥檚 highly improbable that humans have created the first industrialized civilization in cosmic history, and any industrial civilization that arises on a planet will, through its actions, inevitably trigger climate change. What then, can human beings learn from the likely presence of life on other worlds?
Writing in the Washington Post, Frank suggests restructuring the climate change debate, shifting from blame to possibility in a less polarizing narrative.
鈥淭here is a very different story we can tell, one that recognizes climate change not as a marker of shame but as a story of an astonishing success that has led humanity to a moment of great peril, yet also of profound possibility,鈥� Frank writes. 鈥淭he central point is that climate change is the dire but unintended result of our species thriving.鈥�
This new narrative does not let us off the hook, however, Frank says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 incumbent on us to change course and do so quickly.”
Astrophysicist Adam Frank
A self-described 鈥渆vangelist of science,鈥� Frank regularly writes听and听speaks听about subjects like intelligent life forms in the universe, high-energy-density physics, space exploration and missions, climate change, and more.
Read more
We think we鈥檙e the first advanced earthlings鈥攂ut how do we really know?
How do we really know there weren鈥檛 previous industrial civilizations on Earth that rose and fell long before human beings appeared? That’s the question posed in a scientific thought experiment by astrophysicist Adam Frank.
Alien apocalypse: Can any civilization make it through climate change?
A case study of the inhabitants of Easter Island served in part as the basis for a mathematical model showing the ways a technologically advanced population and its planet might develop or collapse together. Rochester astrophysicist Adam Frank and his collaborators created their model to illustrate how civilization-planet systems co-evolve.
Rochester recognized as leader in high-energy-density physics
Three of eight national research grants recently awarded by the Department of Energy were given to researchers at the 人妻少妇专区, which is home to the largest university-based DOE research program in the nation.
